Something more
by Lady Danar
Summary: WillDjaq Set after 2x04… SPOILERS. Will is torn between his family and his friends, bit of angst, bit of fluff… rather WillDjaq… will get more so as it goes on … you know how it is TWO CHAPTERS
1. Is blood really thicker than water?

Will Scarlet was at the edge of the outlaw's camp, the camp that he himself had built and he was focusing intently on a rope pulley that held the door open at the entrance. Only once did he glance across to the centre of the camp around the fire where the rest of the outlaws were drinking some kind of hot tea-like concoction that Djaq had brewed up. Luke was with them laughing and joking, probably about something that Much had done; possibly something to do with the squirrels. Will envied Luke, he could forget, only temporarily, about their father's death and enjoy the evening. The elder sibling didn't have that luxury; all he could think of was the moment his father fell to his knees in Nottingham town, the moment he lost the only parent he had left.

He had already decided what he would do. Luke was leaving for Scarborough the following morning and Will was going to go with him, he couldn't leave his younger brother to travel all that way himself and when he finally reached the relatives he had there he would probably be stay Will couldn't think of a crueller thing to do than make Luke tell them what had happened in Nottingham and leave him without any direct family. Will would have to leave the outlaws to protect his younger brother although leaving the camp would break his heart.

* * *

Luke looked across at Djaq, still hardly believing she lived with five men in the middle of the forest and stayed sane, she wasn't involved in the revelry at that precise moment; she was gazing towards the edge of the camp. Luke followed her gaze and saw Will intent on the mechanics of the hidden camp; suddenly he was overcome with the memories of the day as his father's death came to the forefront of his mind.

Djaq noticed the change in his mood and passed him her own blanket and leaned into his ear.

"My sleeping area is in that far corner," she whispered gesturing towards the mound of leaves at the far side of the camp, "You may have it tonight, you will need the sleep." Luke smiled weakly and accepted the blanket before slipping quietly away. Little John's attention strayed from Robin, Much and Allan's banter and was the only one to notice Luke's exit. He nodded at her and gave a grim smile.

"The boy has had a lot to deal with," he said and returned to the conversation around the fire.

"And so has Will," she murmured quietly.

* * *

Will was just staring at the complex arrangement of knots now; none of his previous enthusiasm was apparent. And when a hand touched gently on his shoulder he flinched and twisted round, his eyes wide and damp. Djaq smiled kindly and gestured towards the entrance mechanism.

"We know it's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, Will, you don't need to stay with it all the time," she smiled, hoping for a return, there was none. "We're going to need to close up soon anyway, there's a storm coming from the north and _you _need to come in," she lightly touched his arm, "you're freezing! I…"

"…I'm going for a walk," he said, interrupting and abruptly let the mechanism lower the great door but quickly ducking outside before it closed with a deep clunk. Djaq was left staring at a wall of leaves where a teary-eyed Will had been standing the moment before.

* * *

About five minutes outside of the camp Will was hit by an icy wind coming from the north, so Djaq was right about the storm… of course she was right, she was always right.

He slumped down in the shelter of a large oak facing away from the direction of the camp. His head dropped onto his hands and he let out a choked sob; this was the most dreadful day of his life and he just couldn't cope with seeing everyone so… normal. At least they gave Luke a chance to forget for a few hours, but Will couldn't forget, and he never thought he would.

Only the cruelty of this world could force a man to lose his father _and _his friends on the same day. Will was huddled up against the rough bark, hugging his knees to his chest for warmth and at least _some _comfort when he heard light footsteps behind the tree. A moment later Djaq appeared with a rather forlorn expression on her face, Will didn't look up, and he just let his legs fall, wiping his eyes.

But then Djaq did something Will would have never really expected; she knelt down next to him, put her arms around him and held him tight. Will just sobbed into her shoulder as she stroked his hair and realised, with a pain, that he could never leave her.


	2. Scarborough or Nottingham?

By the time they had gotten back to the camp it was well past midnight and everyone was well asleep. Much stirred a little and opened his eyes a fraction giving them a disapproving look before turning over and pulling his worn blanket tighter around him.

Luke was sound asleep in Djaq's bed; Will and he would be starting off for Scarborough to stay with his aunt, at sunrise. Djaq closed off the entrance again behind Will and tied it off with uncharacteristic slowness. She started to step towards where he was sitting on the edge of his 'bed' but stopped a couple of paces behind him and leant against on of the camp's supports.

Will didn't even notice her behind him because, ironically, he was immersed in his own thoughts of the beautiful Saracen. When the sun would first creep through the trees the next morning he would wake Luke and they would begin their journey to Scarborough. The question on his mind, that haunted him, was whether to stay with his family or return to his friends.

Djaq herself was watching him nervously. He was going to leave Nottingham, leave her and she had no worthy argument against it. Apart from the fact that she loved him. But she couldn't say that, couldn't admit it; she had know idea what _his_ feelings were and she wasn't willing to ruin a friendship so selfishly.

"Will…"

"I don't know yet…" he replied before she had even asked his intentions, surprising both the Saracen and himself. He turned to face her and she sat down next to him, "I mean, I know I should go with Luke and stay with him in Scarborough. I just… can't face leaving…" he turned slightly and blinked slowly "…Sherwood." 

* * *

Will woke Luke up as the sun filtered through the leaves, pressing a cool finger to his lips. Luke stumbled up from the ground, discarding Djaq's blanket.

"Aren't we going to say goodbye?" whispered Luke to his brother who was packing up a few supplies. Will merely replied with a silence and ushered the younger Scarlett out into the forest whilst desperately refusing himself a look back towards the camp. 

* * *

"How long did you say it took to get to Scarborough and back?" asked Much as the outlaws sat gathered in their secret camp eating. They'd had a difficult day, avoiding the Sheriff's men and everyone else was silently eating; Djaq's expression the same since the Scarletts' disappearance. "I mean, it can't take longer than a week, even in bad weather. That is unless Will just decided to up and leave without so much as a goodbye… Scarborough's probably really nice but with not so much as a… _and_ we're one man down now! Another day like today and…"

"Shut up, Much!" interrupted Robin, he had seen beyond Djaq's sullen exterior. "Will may be staying with his family for a few days or it might be longer… it is not ours to interfere with a grieving…"

"Will!"

Djaq had leapt from her place next to Little John towards the edge of their clearly where a clearly exhausted Will was almost caught off balance by Djaq's sudden embrace. But she suddenly let him go and backed off, letting him step into the clearing.

"You came back."

"Yes, and I could hear Much's whining half the forest away," he proffered a weak smile and accepted the chunk of bread that Robin held to him.

"Welcome back… and the other Scarletts?" Will sat down.

"They're… good."

The group relaxed back into their usual state of banter as if the last few weeks had never happened and Djaq's rather uncharacteristic welcome had already been forgotten by most of the outlaws. Although when she looked up from her plate her eyes met with two other beautifully dark eyes.


End file.
